Written by Thatcher C Nalley, ‘The Little Girl’ fuses fact and fiction to examine the dilemma between a therapist’s passion to heal and a victim’s inability to overcome their trauma. Exposing the true anguish abuse forces on millions of children, the novel’s gripping narrative leaves readers with plenty to think about. April is Child Abuse Prevention Awareness month. According to statistics, reported child abuse cases have increased 350% since 1980. However, while an abundance of help and therapy exists, there’s no cookie-cutter approach to healing this harrowing evil. A compelling new novel by Thatcher C Nalley explores this concept in raw and frank detail – while highlighting the hidden trauma of child abuse that is rarely made public.

‘The Little Girl’ is as startling as it is important. While primarily fiction, the narrative is infused with the author’s decade of experience working in a behavioral health environment.

Synopsis:

“Why does God make bad people?”

Little Molly had asked this often. Therapist Lindy Wellbrook never answered. Yet if the counselor would have just answered, even in just the simplest of terms, could it have prevented the little girl from suddenly jumping to her death? Lindy could deliberate this over and over, but as she was about to find there was would be no easy answer.

The little girl Molly sees her world as being the princess in The Land of Pretty, that she has the power to communicate with dolls, and that her friend Pen protects her though no one can see him. Lindy sees Molly’s world as delusions created from a traumatic childhood. Only one of them is right.

Lindy Wellbrook is a new therapist hungry for the challenge to get clients through a speedy recovery. She has no time for those who sit in self-pity. Her approach is to get clients up and on with their lives in the quickest time possible. No matter how deep the wound.

Then Molly walked in. Eager to prove that her theories of recovery are accurate, even with traumatic cases, Lindy takes on the troubled 8 year old Molly. Having no idea what she is about to take on. In the easy first steps Lindy quickly first finds herself in the bizarre imaginary world called “Pretty” and that Molly is convinced she can talk to dolls. But when Molly’s volatile split personality Pen surfaces, the therapy turns fierce for he will stop at nothing to sabotage the little girl’s recovery. However, Lindy will stop at nothing to get Molly through a fast track of recovery, not even Pen.

Things take a drastic change when Molly suddenly jumps to her death and Lindy is left baffled in wondering where the sessions had gone tragically wrong. In an obsession to find out the therapist relives the past therapy sessions through recorded tapes. This time when Lindy listens her outlook on Molly’s horrific childhood takes a whole different direction. Each tape brings a new twist and turns everything Lindy thought she knew about Molly, Pen, The Land of Pretty, and even herself upside down. The closer Lindy gets to the truth the more she realizes that maybe some things are best left unanswered.

Especially the question - “Why does God make bad people?”

“I have a passion for educating others about the prevention of child abuse, having worked with many victims over the years. While it’s constantly in the media, the true hidden consequences of child abuse are often brushed under the rug. I wanted to use this book to expose them, pulling no punches,” says Nalley. ‘The Little Girl’ is available now on Amazon.

For more information, visit the author’s official website: http://www.thatchercnalley.com.

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